Beery. Your bets last week. Woof.

That was the epitome of brutality. After a big 6-2 holiday week, I needed a Monday Night Football win just to avoid a big goose egg (thanks, Josh Allen) and finish 1-6. And not only did I struggle with the bets, the best game of the entire weekend — No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 Baylor — wasn’t even played due to COVID. Ouch.

But that’s not stopping me from coming back this week. With my overall record sitting at 13-17, I’ve got my eyes on some games that can help me get back above the .500 mark. Well, hopefully…

Saturday, Dec. 12

‍

No. 1 Alabama @ Arkansas (CFB)

My Pick: Arkansas +32.5 (-113)

Alabama will win this football game and the Tide will head into another SEC title game with an unblemished record. That’s not what’s up for debate here. The debate is whether Saban and Co. can cover that massive number. 

I’ve really grappled with this one. Arkansas has some big playmakers and can put up tons of points. But they’ve done all that against teams not named Alabama. I’ve picked against the Tide in the past when the spread is this large and it’s burned me. But I like playing with fire and I think the Hogs will be able to score enough points for Bama to try and slow the game down, perhaps keeping this one somewhat “close” in the end.

Navy @ Army (CFB)

My pick: Army to win (-305)

It’s comforting to embrace tradition in a year like 2020, when nothing seems normal. Sadly, we don’t get Michigan-Ohio State to wrap up the season, but thankfully we get the Army-Navy game. It’s been played every year since 1919, even through WWII. You can bet a pandemic won’t keep college football’s most storied tradition from being carried out, even if it had to be shifted to West Point for the first time since 1943, in the era when the Cadets were regularly winning national titles.

It’s a down year for the Midshipmen, but the Black Knights of the Hudson are sitting at 7-2 this season and looking for their fourth win in five games in this series. This stretch was preceded by 14 straight Navy wins, from 2002-2015. I like Army to win at West Point.

MLS Cup — Seattle Sounders @ Columbus Crew

My pick: Columbus to win the trophy (-112)

Though I’ve become a big fan of the English Premier League in recent years (shouts to Fulham FC!), I haven’t followed our own domestic league much. I do know MLS has been picking up steam over the last couple years, as was evident in the USMNT’s 6-0 friendly win featuring solely MLS players on Wednesday night.

So the season finale should be a pretty fun game. Add in the fact we’ve got the defending champions in Seattle going into the final game at the Crew’s MAPFRE Stadium, and the intrigue is higher. The stadium is one of the more storied soccer grounds in the US, hosting multiple MLS Cups and countless memorable USMNT games since 1996. Before the Crew move into a shiny new downtown stadium next season, they get one more go-round at old faithful, albeit with a watered-down crowd of only about 1,500. I like the home team to win its first title and send MAPFRE out with a bang.

Sunday, Dec. 13

‍

Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants

My pick: Over 22.5 total points for Arizona (-129)

The Cardinals have lost a little fire since the “Hail Murray” that sent football fans into a frenzy on social media. Three straight losses, albeit against solid competition, are a little concerning. But something started to click offensively late on in last week’s loss to the Rams. Even against a Giants defense that has been impressive during the team’s four-game winning streak, I like Kyler Murray and friends to find a way to light up the scoreboard.

New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks

My pick: New York +13.5 (-110)

I had some concerns about Seattle’s defense early this season when folks were chalking them up as a Super Bowl favorite. Now I’m having concerns about their offense, the last couple weeks. I still think they’ll hand the Jets a 13th consecutive loss, but covering 13.5 seems like a lot to me. The Jets have covered in three of their last four, including a heartbreaking finish against the Raiders last week. I think they have enough tools to cover again on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills

My pick: Over 46.5 total points (-110)

This is probably the best SNF matchup of the season, just a great way to wrap up Sunday’s slate. Even after a strange week that saw the Steelers play on a Wednesday afternoon and take their first loss of the season against WFT on Monday night, Pittsburgh is still one of the most exciting teams in football. They have a veteran QB, a solid backfield, and a flashy, young WR corps. Now they’ll line up against another exciting offense for Buffalo that has had some high-scoring affairs this year. I’m going with the over.

Monday, Dec. 14

‍

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

My pick: Over 5.5 total TDs (+118)

Maybe I’m blinded by Cleveland’s impressive win over the Titans last weekend. And maybe I’m sucked in by the allure of a late-season divisional showdown on MNF, but I really think this has the makings for a high-scoring game. After a three-week lull through most of November, Baker Mayfield has roared back to life over the last two weeks with six touchdowns and no interceptions. Lamar Jackson looked like he was playing with a chip on his shoulder Tuesday night and he’ll be hungry to keep the Ravens in the playoff hunt. Show me the points!

‍

--

Legal: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). 21+. IL only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details

--

‍

Holiday Gift Idea #11

‍